**Sugarcane: Organo-Mineral Fertilizers and Biostimulants Biostimulants**

Emmerson Rodrigues de Moraes, José Geraldo Mageste,

**Sugarcane: Organo-Mineral Fertilizers and** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71493

Emmerson Rodrigues de Moraes, José Geraldo Mageste, Regina Maria Quintão Lana, Rodrigo Vieira da Silva and Reginaldo de Camargo Regina Maria Quintão Lana, Rodrigo Vieira da Silva and Reginaldo de Camargo Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71493

#### **Abstract**

The combined application of organic fertilizer with mineral fertilizer increases the yield of sugarcane. It promotes greater residual beneficial effect in relation to the use of each fertilizer in isolation. The organo-mineral fertilizer presents gradual solubilization during the period of development of the crop. Thus, when compared to soluble mineral sources, its agronomic efficiency may be higher. Various types of organic material can be used, such as pig manure, poultry litter, filter cake and sewage sludge, among others. Organic matter is responsible for maintaining and increasing soil porosity to improve water retention and to ensure soil microbial balance. The efficiency in nourishing the sugarcane crops or availing the available nutrients is maximized. The use of biostimulants in world agriculture has achieved significant growth rates in the last decades. Hormone compounds ensure the sustainability of crops. It can be an alternative to improve plant nutrition, support of abiotic and biotic stresses. They act in the activation and potentiation of the metabolism of the cells, give more vigor to the immune system and help to enable the physiological processes in the different stages of development. The emergence and use of new technologies is the way to achieve greater productivity, sustainability and profitability.

**Keywords:** *Saccharum* spp., nutrition, nutrient cycling, plant hormones, sustainability

### **1. Introduction**

Sugarcane (*Saccharum* spp.) is a species of plant in semi-perennial grass in the Poaceae family. It presents itself as an important culture providing not only food but also renewable energy. With all the existing technological package for the cultivation of sugarcane, it is possible to

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© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons

envisage an even more promising future economically, socially and environmentally for the planet. Energy cogeneration, that is, the production of energy by employing more than one process, such as second-generation ethanol or cellulosic ethanol, is a great example. In this scenario, where the adoption of new agricultural practices and techniques has been done in an accelerated way, often passing the scientific production, it is necessary to produce knowledge that helps producers in the adoption of sustainable and economically viable technologies.

10% isolated primary macronutrients (N, P, K) or a mixture (NK, NP, PK, NPK); 5% of sec-

At European Union (EU), there are not maximum permitted levels of metallic elements on the composition of fertilizers. The European Commission (EC) is discussing the proposal to review the 2003/2003 regulation in order to impose limits on the content of minerals, heavy metals and organic fertilizers. The European regulation does not yet address environmental concerns arising from soil contamination from fertilizers. But, USA defends the imposition of

Organo-mineral fertilizers significantly improve soil agronomic and environmental components for society. When it is applied in mulch fertilizers, they help to avoid high volatilization

readily available to plants. The management of them should follow aimed criteria of their

The sources of the biofertilizers have great resistance to changes in its composition. This characteristic is transferred to soils that receive organic matter, allowing greater balance on the plant nutrition. The availability of organic carbon in the soil increases the microbial biomass,

Organo-mineral fertilizers promote the union of the characteristics of chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers [4]. Antille et al. [5], studying the effects of organo-mineral fertilizer derived from biosolids, granulated biosolids and urea, established that soils with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) that had the application of organo-mineral and organic biosolids had changes on the levels of P and increased its raise during 3 consecutive years. They also pointed out that there was a slow release of P with the application of this organo-mineral fertilizer. This release

The combined application of organic and mineral fertilizer improves the yield of sugarcane [4] and promotes greater residual benefits that will affect the relation on the use of each fertilizer singly. In this sense, the organo-mineral fertilizer presents reactive chemical potential relatively inferior to the mineral fertilizer. Its solubilization is gradual during the period of development of the culture, but when compared to soluble mineral sources, its agronomic

After the homogenization, fractions of organic and mineral fertilizers can be extracted to a pallet capable of being supplied to the plants (**Figure 1**). Pelletizing is the process that fertilizer passes through a short period of time due to high pressure, humidity and temperature in order to reduce its size and turns it handling easier [6]. The production of the pellets (**Figure 2**) is objected to a high degree of hardness depending on the production process of the

Carvalho et al. [7] state that organo-mineral fertilizers can improve the agronomic efficiency of fertilizers. These reduce the natural process of fixation of the labile phosphorus in the soil, being readily available to the plants for a longer time. Also, very mobile mineral components in the soil, such as nitrogen and boron, have its release slowed down by the organo-minerals,

). In the other hand, mineral fertilizers have great solubility and are

Sugarcane: Organo-Mineral Fertilizers and Biostimulants http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71493 195

ondary macronutrients; 1% micronutrients and 30% maximum moisture.

limited values for As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg and Ni that are inserted on fertilizers [3].

efficiency, economy and environmental sustainability.

may work for several years from then.

company, varying from 3.0 to 8.0 kgf cm−2.

allowing its better leveraging by plants.

efficiency may be higher.

which improves the efficiency and release of nitrogen on the plants.

levels of ammonia (NH<sup>3</sup>

The quality and longevity of a cane field is related to soils of good chemical, physical and biological properties. A soil fertility management program is also a requirement for forming productive reeds. Thus, the addition and/or maintenance of organic matter in the soil as well as adequate levels of nutrients is necessary to obtain high productivities. Organo-mineral fertilizers contribute to the addition and maintenance of organic matter in the soil. Physiological factors associated with nutrition contribute considerably to the development of sugarcane plants [1].

In modern agriculture, additional techniques with the aim of obtaining the maximum productivity of sugarcane are being used. Among them is the use of biostimulants, regulators of plant or bioregulators. They act to activate the metabolism of cells, assist and confer greater vigor to the immune system, help to enable physiological processes at different stages of development, stimulate root growth due to the higher rate of cell development and induce the formation of new shoots, resulting in the potentialization of the quality and quantity of production [2].

Thus, this chapter aims to emphasize an adoption of sugarcane cultivation technologies such as the use of organo-mineral fertilizers and biostimulants. In this way, many studies have shown the great environmental, economic and sustainable benefits. The adoption of nutrient cycling from agricultural and urban waste can be an alternative and necessity in the present day.
